Batwoman: Echoes of Demons
by Wandering7Doctors
Summary: Bruce Wayne has left Gotham, but Kate Kane knows the city needs a hero to protect what little sanity remains. Kate battles a foe that echoes the grimmest truth of Gotham, the reason why there's no longer a Batman... why Bruce left. Taking place after the events of Elseworlds in the Arrowverse
1. Chapter 1

Life with Bruce Wayne was a circle.

" _Katie, sweetheart, don't you want to say hi to your cousin?"_

Kate's family moved so much in those early years of her life that the idea of extended family had been like hearing life existed on another planet. Granted, the idea of hearing said family, the Waynes, lived in Gotham City sounded interesting. Almost any story about that part of the world were never good, reminded her of where Mom and Dad apparently went on missions in the army. She only ever heard that things got rough, waiting with her sister Alice for them to return… sometimes worried someone in army fatigues would come instead…

Seeing Wayne Manor for the first time, she believed them to be like those politicians who shook hands with her parents; all painted smiles and hollow eyes, treating the act of thanking those who saved lives like cashing a check, literally treating them as a worthwhile deposit. She hadn't expected the warmth. Aunt Martha was as radiant as ever, Kate thought 'Kane' sounded way cooler than being renamed Wayne. The dress was nice though, sparking like a silver star. The same could not be said of the eight-year-old body with the 40-dollar haircut and suit that he fidgeted in. Kate was two years younger, but slightly taller, a fact of pride for herself. When they shook hands timidly, Bruce hadn't bothered to look at anything but the floor. This allowed Kate to entertain herself by wandering about the party, most guests high on cocktails, and possibly other things, to bother with a little girl. Alfred was the best, Kate never saw someone smoothly move through a crowd and he always managed to keep her glass of cranberry juice filled without asking, even while contending with over 60 guests.

Kate never properly spoke a word to her cousin.

A month later… Kate wished she had.

No one in the family saw much of Bruce after the funeral. Kate had tried to talk to him, she knew what it was like to lose people, Mom and Dad taught her all about it. But she couldn't say a word, not when they locked eyes. Kate didn't understand the stranger who stared back at her. Not for many years.

After she'd been expelled from the army for refusing to disavow the accusation of being gay, Kate had felt lost. One night, wandering the streets of Gotham, a mugger tried and failed to get the best of her. She lashed back, screaming about being a soldier. All bravado stopped short when she met her cousin again.

He had been cloaked in shadows, the yellow-black symbol on his chest radiated like an evil eye. Narrow, clear-white eyes looked down at her. The combination of darkness and striking colors made Kate fall onto her back out of shock. Not speaking, he offered her a gloved hand. Kate couldn't see his face, just the eyes, and the symbol. Mesmerized, she barely processed how he had helped her stand up. After looking to make sure no harm had been inflicted, a shadowy limb reached up and it was as if the night sky pulled him up.

Kate spent fifteen minutes staring up, it had started to rain, her clothes were flooded but she never turned away. There in the sky was the symbol on His chest, larger and burning through the sky. It would be another seven years before she understood the person who she'd met that night, the one seen at her Aunt's funeral. Another year would pass before, she would decide the sky needed to see that symbol again. Before any of those choices led her to this path, there was this moment.

Looking up a blazing bat in the darkness.

When Kate Kane finally found her way to serve.


	2. Chapter 2

Kate made a habit of counting. Even during her time in basic training, the habit stuck despite all that grinding for disciplined precision. As she stared down the latest pack of crooks, five trying to break into one of the last decent banks still standing in Gotham, Kate counted.

Not the number of targets.

The exact number of moves it would take to put them down.

Fourteen was a good number.

Two of the crewmembers unpacked a high explosive, possibly enough force to break through a vault and cause a fire that torched several homes before anyone had a chance to escape.

Four moves.

Pulling out a quick handheld, she concentrated her aim on the bomb, deactivating it.

 _One_

She needed a tighter perimeter to work with. Tossing out several concussion orbs, they burst around the men and made them press together, aiming up.

 _Two_

No one ever noticed the red in her wig. Even as she used the grappling hook to slow her drop to be crouched three feet away from the robbers.

 _Three_

Pulling out a quick attachment, Kate aimed steady and fired. A long stretch of cable shot out, flying in a curved arc before wrapping around all five men. Both ends connected on the other end, pinning them together. Electricity blazed through the device, all five crooks barely had time to scream before they slumped down together.

 _Four_

She tapped a button on her belt, sending out a signal that any nearby police vehicles would pick up on and follow right to the men. When the sirens were close enough, after making sure every crook was restrained, she aimed her grapping hook and shot flew up. Using the momentum, Kate hauled herself over the roof and sprinted across to the next building. After hopping three roofs, then zipping across an intersection, Kate planted herself in a shadowy corner and tuned her police scanner for each district's various frequencies. A secondary setting picked up hot spots for criminal activity, all able to be activated at the slightest hint of disturbance. For minor situations, she sent word to the GCPD, for the… unusual, that was where Batwoman came in.

Kate wasn't her cousin, he had built himself to be personal army of predators in one shadowy figure. But that could only work when a city hadn't gone further to Hell. Coordination and cooperation were key. They needed to stabilize the soul of this city before it was 'saved'. That meant clearing out unstable elements, tactically, carefully, so that no vacuum were caused where another pack of psychos took over from the next.

Granted, the amount of super criminals had been lowered significantly in the last few years… thanks to that night. But humans were always capable of the worst before anyone bothered with metahumans or masks. Gotham wasn't Star City or Central City; people were the problem and here they would be the solution. People… and a giant red-black bat.

A year into this and so far, Gotham didn't look much better. But it wasn't on fire, so Kate considered that a win. The buzz from her device signaled that the night was still young.

Working with the shadows, getting to the GCPD from anywhere in the city took less than ten minutes. This leisurely method of 'strolling' over to the precinct roof was her decision. Despite her efforts, this city had rules, and those who enforced.

Commissioner Gordon stood beside the bat signal, unused. His trench coat and luminescent glasses radiated their own personal light in the dark, the cigarettes spark merely completed the man's radiance. He saw her before they were on the same roof, she made always made sure.

"You know, my fingers ache from pressing this little button," Gordon said as he eyed the transmitter, his voice steady as if speaking about the weather to anyone. The Commissioner's head turned towards the signal. "That old thing, the switch used to rust, sprained my wrist sometimes when yanking it down. I never thought I'd miss it, but there was finality to it. When that signal shined, everyone knew the war was on."

"It's not mine to borrow," Batwoman said, her voice synthesizer adjusting the pitch while she kept in the slight shadows. "The beacon works as a way we make this a united front."

"Hey, don't get me wrong," Gordon said with a shrug. " _He_ usually just had us doing garbage duty. You at least know how to share intel. It's precise, military, I know how to use that."

 _He_ , they never spoke the name. The obvious reason being this was their fight. But the truth was… Kate knew saying the name, now that Bruce had left, felt adjacent to failure. She should have been more bothered by how casually Gordon addressed Kate, the military comments brought an odd twitch in the back of her mind. She read his military history, there was a comfort in familiarity. _Cadet Batwoman, reporting for duty, Commander._

The urge to salute at his compliment was quite intense.

"What do you need, Commissioner?" She kept her stance spaced, prepared, militant; old habits died hard.

Wrinkles creased Gordon's brow, in the time they've worked together, Kate had never seen that level of tension. Except on… Bruce's face.

"There was an incident in South Gotham," Gordon handed her a folder, she tried to ignore the tone that made this a military debriefing. "Multiple victims, stab wounds, signs of being restrained." But even the voice he used made it clear that they were both looking at the message.

 _ **SONS OF JOKER**_

"Intel says they've been active at least twice. Similar acts of violence, same message. But these weren't random spots, they're where _He_ and the Joker fought."

She remembered reading up on all these situations in the past, get an understanding of her battlefield. This was among the last three before…

"Do you think it was because of what happened," Kate almost jumped, mesmerized by the images to notice Jim Gordon come closer. "I've known many people on the force who couldn't handle all their actions in the field. Did it just become too much?"

Kate remembered when she discovered the truth.

He had left the cave entrance wide open. She stumbled in when three days of voicemails went unanswered. Thoughts of it being a panic room faded when the screech of bats echoed through the cave. Kate should have been stunned, seeing the world's greatest secrets which had been the epicenter for her grand transformation from years of training through Father's contacts. What she saw erased that shock, because it was worse.

Bruce Wayne.

Sobbing.

Mask off.

Suit on.

And drenched in blood.

"You're wrong."

"What's that?"

Batwoman handed back the file, her scanners recorded every detail.

"The man behind the mask could keep going, but he couldn't let the Bat continue."

She finally realized why Bruce made a habit of vanishing, another way to hide his humanity… his fears.

Gordon let her leave without giving away more weakness. Flying through the night sky, Batwoman and Kate shared the same headspace. Both were still jarred by what no one said out loud. Why Gotham no longer had a Dark Knight. Why the city had gone to Hell.

Because Batman killed the Joker.


	3. Chapter 3

Everyone in Gotham had heard about that final fight between Batman and the Joker. Of all those twisted souls who had threatened the city, Batman's worst foe seemed born without one. And now a pack of copycats were running around with the Devil's name.

The crime scene held little more information than what Gordon had shared. An abandoned toy factory, back when joy was believed as more than corpse's dream from better days hat never happened. The wool inside two giant teddy bears had been eaten apart by carnivorous moths. Their dusted wings fluttered as ate disturbed the returning sense of peace after the violence from earlier. The fluttering waves of grey in moonlight gave off the sensation of being cursed.

Every one of Batman's battles had created a scar that eventually healed. But never where the Joker had lashed out. Families moved away, rumors spread of people having nightmares when sleeping there, even after death. Kate wondered if that was why Batman always charged towards the maniac's trail, as if working to beat down a living plague.

Kate had seen the monster's face. Colorful tabloids and wanted posters did not capture the menace of Bruce's video feed. A face chemically sculpted from nightmares with a crooked yellowing grin from some unholy joke. The eyes were the worst, small and hollow, wearing a purple suit permanently ill-fitting any occasion because it belonged to him. Nothing good or sane could have birthed that evil. Footage from the fights, the laughter, were haunting. This demon managed to make the city from worthy of its moniker.

An acrid order burned up Kate's nose and brought her back to grim reality. She studied the moth-gnawed ropes and tape used to restrain all seven victims. They had been random targets and brought here.

She started to picture the scene. Drag marks implied they had been unconscious when brought here. Scuffled scratches in the floorboard showed they had been lined up, on their knees, hands and feet bound behind them. Hard indents from boots confirmed eight, maybe nine operatives if they were all facing someone. Besides the bloody message on the far wall they were facing, nothing else was in that direction, which confirmed there had been some kind of speaker.

This maniac loved captive audiences and desired a spectacle. The next time they showed their hand… all of Gotham would be made to listen.

The chemical smell bothered her most of all, bleach and other evidence-killing formulas had been sprayed everywhere. But the real Joker lusted for attention, always making sure his work stood out among the vile scum.

This was either smart or an act of desperation. The actions on the wall were meant to simply an eagerness to be known. Either way, the area had been abandoned for at least several hours.

 _So why the smell?_

The inner soldier and Bat persona felt they had a right to slap Kate for overlooking common sense. The toy factory wasn't airtight, a giant hole in the roof had been Kate's main entry point. Any lasting odor would have faded long before her arrival. The scans hadn't pinpointed anything dangerous to inhale but there was an added side effect. Everything used had been flammable.

She had searched for hidden corners where anyone could have taken a shot at her. There had been no proper vantage point, but she finally understood why smell grew stronger. It was being pumped through the floor, increasing with her arrival.

Kate heard something spark. She had already pulled out the grappling hook and shot for a solid patch of deteriorating roof. Her feet left the floor before fire blasted upwards. Thousands of moths became flickering angels swallowed up by Hell. Customized fabrics were all that kept Batwoman's cape, wig, and suit from being consumed. Heat stabbed through her feet and thighs, she bit down a scream.

Ignoring rising waves of flame, Kate angled herself and sped up the grapple line. She shot through the hole and spread her cape instantly. Batwoman glided down to an abandoned parking lot. Brick by charred brick, all proof of Gotham's newest threat crumbled to nothing.

 _They had been waiting for me._

Watching the destruction that almost claimed her, Kate Kane promised to honor Bruce and herself. The Batwoman would face these wannabe Jokers, but bot succumb to darkness.

She remembered the mantlepiece in Bruce's cave.

A blood-stained batarang.

 _I can succeed, and I will not succumb._

That thought was repeated as she marched off into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Kate spent about an hour washing the choking aroma of bleach and chemical fires. She had worked hard to lose any tail or lookouts, more than usual considering how these Sons of Joker were seeking her out. The solitude gained from residing in what little remained of Wayne Tower felt more welcoming than it had in months.

Inspecting herself in a mirror, checking for any unnoticed injuries, Kate had to take a second to realize she was indeed the woman behind the mask. Her suit added a layer of height and build so that outside noting her chin, it didn't look like Kate Kane dressing early for Halloween. Kate's slightly tanned skin was darkened thanks to a chemical solution from a friend of an ex who was talented enough to make someone not even look like they had a face. The tattoos on both arms, as well as the ones a few lovely ladies and a superpowered blonde in a red skirt knew of would be a dead giveaway.

Kate didn't want to recognized in either identity. This was a personal decision based on protection and for the slight spark of joy she got from disappointing her stepmother. Being heir apparent to what remained of the Wayne fortune and daughter of as a well-decorated military colonel promised a horrible fallout from both enemies and the whole US Government. She didn't have the luxury of these other masked jackasses.

Those rare times during her Hellish training for four years, she allowed herself to glimpse the outside world. She discovered everywhere outside of Gotham had gone crazy.

While her familial city was known for housing living nightmares, Bruce had contained things to the point that no real word of what went on in Gotham City ever surfaced beyond myths, even the Batman.

Everywhere else decided to get weird fast after a playboy worth millions came back from five years being dead shooting arrows. Between that, a red blur in Central City, Black Lightning in Freeland, pictures in history books of strangers who hopped about decades without ageing, and wherever Kara Danvers came from, Kate wondered if her decisions were just the next layered bricks to the madhouse.

She also wondered… if Bruce wouldn't have fallen or been so alone had he chosen to join up with these costumed strangers. They had fought off an alien invasion and yet the world in 2019 continued to be the same-old backwards train wreck of morality. No one wanted to make life matter more even with all these fantastic things in the world.

Kate wanted to save Gotham, but keeping the rest of the world in mind might not hurt either.

Glaring at a nearby clock, Kate decided sleeping until 2 pm, getting at least eight hours, would help give her enough balance to function before the night shift.

Slipping into black pajamas, Kate inspected the security feeds for the building. Satisfied to have no unwelcome late-night guests, set the triple locks on her door, charged her tazer, and let darkness sooth away troubles from a double life.

She dreamed of a soccer game with her sister, back when they were eight years old. One month later, Elizabeth would be dead along with their mother. This, right at that moment, was one of the few happy moments she had left. Like that wonderful time with her beloved in the academy, all things turned sour in Kate's life. The moment she sometimes hopped back to was the final point, where Kate just needed to get back at her twin sister and win the game. She'd pull the shot, make a hard left that would ding off the goalpost. Elizabeth would take the follow-up shot and win. It had been a rare show of kindness, one Kate wished she had allowed more often before all chance of a future had been blown to Hell.

The soccer ball hit the goal's rim with a clang. Elizabeth caught up to it and was rushing for an unguarded opportunity.

A sudden gunshot tore through the ball. Elizabeth and Kate had a surprise referee. His purple suit and wild green hair were haphazard. Demonic red eyes stabbed right through Kate's soul. Sunlight illuminated a horrific handgun, aimed at Elizabeth.

 **PENALTY!**

 **YOU CAN'T HAVE A GAME WITH ONLY ONE PLAYER**

Kate tried to argue that there were two.

One remained as the trigger was squeezed.

 **LONELY ARE WE? SAY NO MORE!**

The gun swiveled to face her.

 **BANG**

Kate fell out of bed, screaming.

She tenderly touched her forehead, expecting to find splattered brain matter and blood. The only injuries were sore muscles from the fiery escape and very likely a few bruises from the abrupt crash out of dreamland. Nothing broken so a bit of pain wasn't too unwelcome. Sleep didn't seem like such a good idea with the newest demon taking up residence.

The sudden buzzing of her phone was for once welcome. She crawled over to the nightstand to see who wanted to chat. A grin formed just from seeing the name.

Luke Fox.

Her fellow comrade and keeper of the Bat Family Legacy.

 _"You know that your wig could have caught fire, right?"_

"Great to hear you too, Luke." Kate said dryly. The suit had built in camera's Luke must have seen last night's feed.

 _"I don't care how durable that fiber is for your wig,"_ Luke ignored her comment, as he typically did when deciding there was point to make. _"That red rug will catch fire, making your head on fire, which is bad, like gets-in-your-face-and-burns-your-eyes bad."_

"Did I ever tell you your optimism is what makes waking up worthwhile?"

 _"Seriously, why bother with a fake wig at all?"_

Finally, a question she liked answering.

"Makes me seem weak," Kate said as she rose up, feeling a strength that came from the shadows that echoed through her each night. "Long hair is easy to grab. Cowards and those wanting to play dirty love taking advantage of it, just like trying to yank on a cape. But, knowing they'll aim for an 'obvious' opening, they'll reach out and..,"

 _"Forget to block a kick to the gut or lower because they're trying grab something that looks easy."_ Luke finished.

"Now you're catching on."

 _"Yeah, well, fire is a lot harder to plan around than some dirty mugger's hand trying to grab hair. You got to be more careful."_

"I'll keep that in mind when someone tries to blow me up again."

 _"With your luck, that might as well be your Tuesday night."_

Kate grinned, she had few to no one left who could know about the Bat, Luke Fox truly was the best person to discuss this craziness with. Son of Lucius Fox, the head Research & Development in Wayne Enterprise's brighter times who had been the source of Bruce's wonderful toys. While reshaped and modeled to make sure no correlation could connect Batman to Wayne Enterprises, the technology they crafted had been the downfall of many Gotham troublemakers in the past. While the man had passed on, his son inherited the skills and knowledge. This made Luke closer to the Bat symbol than even Kate had a right to call herself. While the same blood partially ran through her heart, Luke's family had helped shape the symbol. Two halves that came together to create Gotham's newest guardian.

"Did you call just to chastise my fashion sense?"

 _"You know me better than that,"_ Luke said, his own grin clearly heard. _"Took some time searching up various social media sites in Gotham. The usual junk about wondering if you're real or a myth. Some are complaining that you should just let Batman be a hero again. Others are saying you're better than he was. Bit of a keyboard war started over that charming argument. Mostly, it's the same sexist trolls and digital advocates who just need more excuses to slap 'scathing' insults to score points in their invisible game."_

Kate snorted, shaking her head with disbelief. If social media were to be taken seriously, the Batman was myth. Granted, the number of twisted souls in Gotham might not have tripled years ago if they weren't possibly inspired by the Bat. Kate doubted the internet could really play part in heightening paranoia, it has always been dire, online just helps people puke out what's always been on their minds. Outside of a few hashtags, nothing really stirs the pot.

As if reading her mind, she could feel the tension through the phone.

Something bigger than a Twitter feud was on Luke's mind.

 _"They posted the killings."_

Kate understood Luke enough to know how bad it must be for him to sound so rattled. But, her damn her conviction, it wasn't enough.

"Show me."

 _"The people running the sites managed to kill the videos after an hour, 40 million views…"_

Kate didn't need to say anything, she knew Luke too well.

 _"Took some heavier hacking than usual, but I managed to preserve it, don't ask me to see it again."_

A moment later her phone pinged. This was specialized burner, only two like it in the world that made sure no one could access the information shared. What Kate saw made her want to throw her phone in an ocean of gasoline and burn it all.

It had been as she feared, they had put on a show. The victims from both attacks had been bound and gagged, the enforcers keeping them there wore fake army camouflage pants with thick black boots. They were holding machetes. The camera was turned to their leader. He wore bloodstained purple trousers and a tattered jacket the same shade beneath the grime. They resembled the clothes that a paparazzi had taken of Joker, just after his death. Patchy white makeup poorly applied showed hints of normally pale skin beneath around the neck. The hair also had a poor dye-job, streaks of green and black tangled together in a nasty mesh.

The face had been a work of passion from nightmares. Jagged red lipstick stains and deep eye shadow, almost raccoon like except for the deep the fixation on circles. Kate felt like she was staring down a skull. The smile made her retch. But it got worst when the Leader spoke.

"Our God is Dead, and his vanquishing Devil ran away. Leaving red-haired bitches scampering about, UNWANTED."

 _Big shock, he's sexist._ Kate shook it off and let the petty wacko have his kicks, going on a rather pitiful sexist spiel of how Batwoman 'stole' what was rightfully Batman's role. Something, something, sexist, something, something (Feminism equated to the black plague, charming), and ultimately choosing be a way to get things back to how they should be.

"We will mutilate any sense of safety this garbage city thinks it can have with whores protecting it. Where men guide this city's downfall, so ALL WILL KNOW JOKER WINS!"

Kate wondered why the plural, but she blanked a little bit when the Leader claimed in his sexist rant that no single woman could possibly be capable of anything, least of all fighting criminals. Every word he said just made Kate want to punch him, a lot, in the face. But then he raised the scale of his ranking in her mind to full-on scum.

One of the enforcers, filming tossed him the camera, giving a far more charming inspection of the demented make-up job.

"The answer is simple, Gotham," the Leader proclaimed. "Offer up the Fake Bat, by tomorrow night, or we will do more of THIS."

He spun the camera around and they machetes came down. Kate wanted to vomit, the screams and bloodshed brought flashes of that hellish night. Her mother and sister… the blood and chaos. Her hands shook watching the footage, watching five more people she could have saved suffer agonizingly in the end. The maniac spun the camera around, his smile at that carnage sickening made it worse.

"Tomorrow night, we'll show you where."

The video went black.

Kate allowed herself to breathe again.

Sleep no longer mattered.

Being Kate Kane could not matter.

Only the Bat mattered.

This needed to end _Now._

Luke was kind, he waited for her call.

"Luke, I need you to watch it again."

" _Kate… you sa—"_

"I need facial recognition on the bastard done right now." She marched to the elevator that would lead to the cave. "No more Jokers in this city."

The elevator doors closed as she quickly descended to her personal war room.

"One was too many."


	5. Chapter 5

The hum of the elevator did nothing to cool Kate's boiling rage. She had barely started work as Batwoman, but she considered every life lost a failure. Every death echoed her Mother's, her Sister's, and while no one could ever be brought back, to save a life at least meant victory. Kate Kane intended to win this hidden war, make sure every single psycho who dared to wear the Devil's face would regret it forever.

Her war march crumbled with two words as she entered the main lobby.

"Katherine Kane!"

Crap, she thought, all that chaos from last night had scrambled Kate's schedule. Realizing what came next, she almost wished the fires had claimed her. Irritation worked alongside a curios recognition of rarely hearing clacking heels have the grueling crunch of boots wielded by an army Colonel. The gleam of fury made Kate sometimes see why her Father had remarried.

"Two hours," the woman said as she adjusted long black hair so it fell skillfully behind a deep purple dress. "I wait for you, _you_ , for a meeting to discuss with investors how to revitalize a local rec center. I had to make your sister practically wrap the exit in chains to get those vultures from directing funds towards some other project. A meeting that I helped facilitate when you managed to convince me this ambition for creating a real estate firm in Gotham was something important to you. I may never have been in the army, Katherine, but I damn well know one must follow through with their plans." She gave a sideways glance at the graffiti, cracks, and other debris decorating the hallways with poisonous derision, as if they echoed Kate's alleged lack of ambition.

"Sorry, Mom," Kate didn't have the nerve to bother calling her step-mother _Catherine_ or wish you disrespect her step-sister, Mary, with her usual antagonism of rejecting this new woman in her father's life. "There was this crazy accident, took all night to get back, I didn't mean to leave you or Mary alone." The lack of condescension helped dim some of Catherine's rage, but she maintained her stoic posture. She didn't remain one of the richest, most prominent, citizens in Gotham by letting familial squabbles get in the way.

"You chose to help this city, like Jacob," she said with a brief sigh as loosened some stress from beneath her armor. "Even though your work requires thankfully less violence, I would have hoped you could be more careful. Gotham has never been safe, with or without the Batman."

That was the point that always struck her as too fascinating to be insulted by. Catherine Hamilton, before becoming Hamilton-Kane, had been around in the time when Bruce was taking his long walks at night. She was one of the few who looked at Batman's work as the actions of a man battling criminals, no mythos of creatures or demons. Catherine also made a less-than charming speech expressing how Batman had failed and wasn't coming back. This had been to endorse the Crows, a paramilitary outfit that functioned as escorts for the rich with the implied incentive of being backup for police that still suffered many scars from Gotham's psychos. A unit led by Jacob Kane. If Catherine were here, her father would want a more honest explanation immediately.

"Did they invest?" Kate said, it stung that she had sound so worn down to almost seem slightly indifferent.

"Yes," Catherine said. "But they do expect you to meet with them before the end of the week to discuss the specifics for what's required. Make sure to be more punctual for them."

Kate nodded. "Thanks, Mom."

The older woman's face softened a bit, but her face was lined with annoyance.

"I just hope you could call me Mother at a better time. Not when trying to keep your head from being chewed off. Do you need a ride? You said you were in an accident." There was a little too much pleasure in Catherine's voice, perhaps hoping Kate's motorcycle was rotting in hell as she had decreed on multiple occasions would be its fate.

"Sure," Kate said, realizing where she needed to go. "I need to speak with Dad."

Her step-mother's smile faded.

"Right," she said. "He does want to talk with you. You know, Kate, I'd like to be more than a business associate with you. All these months since coming back to Gotham, we should meet somewhere besides family dinner and an office. Would you like to get dinner?"

She usually called her Kate to get something, namely to behave at high-function celebrations, they never really created a familial bond. Catherine may blame that on one time with her socialite friends when Kate had happened upon them discussing her ring, the one worn by Kate's real mother, commenting how it was 'hardly worthy of her'. As if its lack of 30k status made it a something bought in a vending machine.

Kate hated rich people, ironic considering her family, but sometimes it helped to remember that many who could have helped others saw giving their money to less fortunate souls with the same unease of leaving their homes unlocked at night. Deeming everyone below parasites living in garbage they threw out, ignoring how they 'bought' anything substantial that wasn't nailed down so only trashier options were in reach. Wayne industries had enough fingers in different enterprises to ensure that however much Bruce invested in the city, it would easily be regained, with enough left over for… nightly expenses. She wondered if any of the non-powered heroes in tights would be able to make the job work without being or knowing a billionaire. Considering how her own crusade against crime made her own income limbo of currency floated within Wayne, Hamilton, and Kane influence, Kate decided not think too hard on it and just try and use the money reasonably.

Getting inside the limo, the two women did their best to manage comfort in the others presence but neither knew how to make a conversation work. The view of Gotham in semi-decay wasn't a proper ice breaker, since that would drag them both back into work. In Kate's case, double duty, which did bring up a haunting question as she looked at the regal Catherine Hamilton-Kane. Should she be in the know about her stepdaughter's nightwork. The number of people, including Kara Danvers, were four who knew, which was optimistic on how talkative Kara was with her friends and her father's loyalty. It stung to know that the latter wasn't even greater favor. If she knew, Catherine made no attempt at stopping it, which proved her ignorance. Whether for Kate's own health or the publicity nightmare, Catherine would never approve.

 _Would Mom?_

 _Would Elizabeth?_

That question bugged her more than she liked admitting, it would be childish to make them her excuse. Not when a whole city had the risk of suffering even worse. Bruce, while not much for conversation after she found out, hadn't kept it secret that losing his father and her aunt definitely factored into his vigilantism. Kate just wanted to honor herself and her parents by finding a way to serve. One solider masquerading as warrior and the green real estate firm owner, Kate wondered which would prove the more effective method. Looking at the fraction of bitter sorrow biting at Catherine, she decided the least that could be done was not be a total bitch.

"Mom," Catherine's head snapped as if struck by lightning. "Dinner sounds great. I might be a bit busy tonight but I'm free around tomorrow night might work, around 9?"

She got a rare, non-socialite, smile.

 _Dad, you actually found someone as good as Mom._

"That sounds perfect, Kate, thank you."

Just when a warmth started to bridge the gap in the limo, it lurched to a stop. No way to move in Gotham except fast, either for a robbery or in the vain attempt at avoiding one. Catherine looked disappointed, and Kate felt a little bit of it too. Dinner would be nice.

"I'll call you when I've made the arrangements," Catherine said reassuringly. "You'll have them by tonight." Her words held a diligence that implied she'd use those skilled business tactics to ensure this potential olive branch had the durability of titanium.

"Thanks," Kate had nothing else to say as she opened. "Talk to you soon, be careful." It felt childish, not having something deeper to say. Her step-mother took it anyway, failing only slightly at acknowledging Kate's limits.

She watched it drive off to important meetings and other opportunistic enterprises. Things that Kate she be going to, meeting important clients and community leaders to figure out ways of preserving Gotham's soul. Civilian life, what should have been the only goal after being forced out of the academy. But her time abroad, all that training, it had forged a soldier. Soldiers only see the battlefield, and Gotham was one of the worst. Batwoman had a place in it now, the Sons of Joker had been propped up as a clear call out to the Bat, her responsibility. She intended to take this fight on, which required intel. And so, Kate Kane stepped inside the militarized building with a Crow logo on top.

It was time to talk with her father.


	6. Chapter 6

The inner facility of the Crows felt like walking through her Father's mind. Everything was sleek, except for the armored attire of every single employee, even the interns would have needed to be capable of decapitation via coaster. Nothing less would appeal to the standards of Colonel Jacob Kane.

Kate walked past teams of security, a single hallway of certain death for any careless enough to dare breach the front. Added to this was layered defenses in the basement and roof. In any other town besides Gotham, this would be considered hostile occupation in Kate's opinion. This mindset did nothing to her nerves as each door shut behind her as she walked down the main hallway, an unrequested escort followed her with one finger caressing the trigger. She wasn't too insulted by the chilled unwelcome expressed by every sideways glare. Kate Kane was probably seen as a cautionary tale of what never to be. It also stung possibly a few egos that if things had gone differently, Kate would have been running the Crows, there was also the possibility that she still could with enough kneeling and begging; the remaining golden child whose shine had been smeared but not losing its value. The kind of people who join a paramilitary outfit don't take kindly to nepotism, neither did Kate but she worked it all the same.

The layers of go-no-further checkpoints were peeled away to reveal a thousand eye monster of security. A massive room with one wall filled with monitors and rows of desks with people stationed, highlighting every detail from weather to traffic in Gotham. Kate helped Luke get a _suggestively_ illegal backdoor to her father's network, helping to know the Crows routines helped Batwoman not become another nailed down objective. There was also a secondary objective of never overreaching the GCPD in terms of authority. Kate's Father worked to make sure toes were scuffed, never intentionally stepped on in this regard. Jacob Kane did however enjoy kicking up the alleged rumor of a spotlight used to call in an alleged criminal when questions were brought about overzealous methods.

Kate ignored the bureaucracy of privatizing war and focused her energies on the general. His office overlooked the surveillance room below. He stood at the window looking at it all as if his eagle-sharp gaze could drill into their skulls. This skill didn't need to directed at Kate for her to feel the bite.

"Report, Soldier."

Kate knew from his tone and her training that the escort was long gone. Any footage or listening devices had been shut off. It almost made Kate feel embarrassed to lug around Luke's lightweight scrambler. She wondered if admitting the precautions would be seen as surrender, that their removal demanded losing the cowl.

That wasn't an option.

So, Kate played soldier.

"Sir, an insurgent group calling thems-"

"I didn't ask for a debrief, Soldier!" The Colonel never turned her back.

"Tell me if you made contact."

 _Of course he already knows._

She realized Jacob Kane would always seek to know the truth. She wondered if he knew about Bruce. It wasn't the first time Kate wondered if her Father's occupation of Gotham carried some answer to her cousin's disappearance.

"Sir," she worked to peel emotion from her words, this wasn't her Father now. "The enemy boobytrapped the site. Incendiary, homemade chemicals, with a timed explosion set off when the walls were breached."

"And the victims?"

Now they had gone onto the video.

"Six in total, reported missing hours before the execution. Limited manpower implies one or more combatants have access to means sedatives."

"And what does the limited manpower imply?"

"That they're mobile, with some limited skill in concealment."

Kate worked off of Gordon's file as much as instinct. She needed to give these maniacs details, some them solid and breakable. The next part… was harder.

"What do you know?"

Her Father's shoulders tensed.

"I will not reveal classified detail to a _Civilian._ "

It was a nicer word than he could have chosen. He still didn't dismiss her though, she knew why. Luke would have argued, something about how Bruce would never compromise with Mercs. But Kate had made the call after seeing that footage, and she wasn't Bruce Wayne, not when more lives were on the line.

"Sir, I can run recon and direct the Crows where to strike." _I'm letting you win._

He finally turned to face her. The hardened exterior failed to conceal his softer eyes.

"It would be easier, to lead a unit with them beside you."

Now Kate needed to fight like Hell.

"A _Civilian_ wouldn't have the right to overstep ranked authority."

Jacob Kane somehow managed to grow in height without moving.

"Your training, wasted as it is, was built for units like the Crows. You've proven yourself, Kate, do right by yourself and take what's yours."

"I already Have, Sir."

She wasn't a teenager arguing about keeping the bike two Summer jobs got her. Batwoman was more than some kick at the US Military's shins. It as a chance to serve, not limited by politics or how someone would see Kate. A means of facing threats on her terms, the guardian that stopped monsters so everyone else slept easier, never used or abandoned again. Jacob's eyes turned hard, but Kate stood firm.

"You saw the video," he said, starting his bombardment. "It shook your nerves, my troop had operatives who puked, right there on that floor below, you could smell it for hours. Coming here all but admits acceptance of how little Batwoman can handle such threats."

"And let's not forget the obvious inspiration, manifesting as one of Gotham's demons. What happens when the unhinged start masquerading as Nygma, Crane, or Freeze; playing dress-up and endangering civilian lives. Just. Like. Him."

Cousin or not, the problem stood clear as day. Kate couldn't fight that she'd called this fight. Concede and the Batwoman died, worse perhaps all the secrets of Wayne Industries would be claimed by the Crows, the Military.

That was the responsibility earned by taking on Bruce's symbol, the secrets and everyone protected. The reason why every cop in Gotham never got a Batmobile was because soon those vehicles would be mowing down innocents as well as enemies in foreign lands. For what little she knew of her cousin, the mask was a promise. It demanded being more than a soldier.

"I'm not stopping," Kate said. She had never seen her Father's face turn such a shade of red. "My skills are right where they need to be. These Sons of Joker didn't need me to do these killings, and they will keep happening. The only way out and fix this is a combined effort. If you already know whose to blame, telling me won't limit your ability to prove better than me. Who are we after?"

For all his faults, the rage in the former Colonel faded. He hated the Wayne family for taking his sister, but would never allow people to be endangered. The Crows were his attempt to do right by Gotham, and he knew she respected that. _Ceasefire, for now._

Time for them to focus on a proper threat.


	7. Chapter 7

The intel was good. Luke was talented to make a broken-down Batcave functionable, but the Crows were unhindered by the fallout Wayne Industries. The maniac from the video ws soon given a proper identity.

"Steven Rolio," Jacob Kane stated. A personal table displayed shallow faced 24 year-old. His nose seemed too long for its own good with deep eyes the wrong sort of blue. The coat and makeup covered lanky frame.

"He's had a long reputation of violence in school and several public instances. Looks like he was into villain worship, some crap about 'the Joker being a realist, not a criminal'."

"And now he made his way to Gotham," Kate said as she deciphered the data. "Experience burning pets and promising to shoot up schools after tests. How in the Hell is he allowed in public?"

"The system can shove into the dark, keep him away from the jobs and polite society. But I think he used that. Looks like he created online profiles to contact his lackies, equally toxic young men who he's given guidance to. No real parental abuse or failed grades. Looks like they just decided life was too hollow for their liking. And unfortunately, they've decided Gotham is the perfect place for chaos."

"Guess being the one city with a female vigilante only seemed a step too far." Kate muttered. "Stockpiling cleaning chemicals, hardware tools, and stealing the weapons that wouldn't be flagged as easily."

"Don't speculate, Soldier, law enforcement picks up more than you might guess."

"Didn't seem to slow these creeps down."

"Solid, not foolproof."

 _And in those cracks, a guaranteed slaughter._ She kept that part to herself, but Jacob's face twisted in bitterness. It never helped to feel like the enemy you could fight won't be willing to participate or worse go for those who don't know they're at risk.

"Looks like the only place where people might really be at risk worthy of some demonstration is the Commemoration Ceremony establishing the newest Crow Branch for lower Gotham."

Gotham City was split into three major sections, Upper, Central, and Lower Gotham to express various housing classes. Moving the security force in the lower communities was meant to promise an added layer of protection. It also created a security risk, the perfect target for those willing to cause pain to Gotham. The event took place at 8 pm, ten hours from now.

 _Time to get to work_

Kate and her Father gave each other a sideways glance. She hadn't conceded, which meant Batwoman would definitely be in play. What mattered was knowing who else the weapons might be aimed at. A flicker of concern proved the secret was still safe, which put her in greater danger. Despite professional differences, both knew they'd never endanger civilians with ego.

"If I see them, I'll point them to you." Kate said.

"And you make damn sure not to get caught in the crossfire, Soldier."

No goodbye, no good luck, which considering everything else will have to do. Kate turned and left, despite the term she was no 'soldier' and did not wait to be dismissed. The silence was its own form of acceptance as marched to war.

She never anticipated her father to be a deeper strategist than a battlefield.

"Things still frosty between you and the Colonel"

 _Just… perfect…_

Kate turned her head to see the woman who was there when the whole world flipped.

"Hey, Soph," Kate managed to accept she could escape using that little nickname. Sophie Moore didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, I guess it actually went better than it had any right to."

"Sorry to hear that." Kate couldn't help overlooking the fact that Crow enforcers were everywhere, but they had slight gap where she didn't feel too bothered to get closer. The other woman showed no sign of rejecting the action. It allowed Kate to get a better look at her sweet smile and bright eyes. She could sadly see the strain sleepless nights, frayed locks of black hair, and tension etched across the dark skin of Sophie's face.

 _You shouldn't feel guilty, it's not your problem_

Kate wanted to accept the logic, but her mind flashed to that sunny afternoon against the Academy wall and kicked the rationality away.

"How are you holding up?" A crap thing to ask someone who had been kidnapped by a psychopath and nearly killed, but Kate couldn't let it go. She became Batwoman first to save Sophie.

"Better," Sophie was a terrible liar, having to go with the 'appropriate' response. "Guess I'll mind my 3 O'clock better." She tried to laugh it off, the possible month of nightmares since cut her off.

The Wonderland Gang had stormed into a speech by Kate's step-mother supporting the Crows and kidnapped Sophie in the mayhem. She had been dragged around Gotham's shadows, bound and gagged, expecting to die whenever their ringleader, Alice, got bored with her. Kate had jumped off a building to save Sophie, using the suit to take most of the crash. They had been too close, face to face like in bed during the Academy, and Sophie was too smart to not consider who was tenacious/stupid enough to sky drive without a parachute over a woman. There was history as well as trauma but also trust. In this world, with Bruce gone, Sophie was the last real person Kate Kane felt she could fully rely on.

"So, you think these wackos are going to be there tonight? Sons of the Joker?" When talking about the mission, Sophie managed to push past herself, Kate's father had a good soldier.

"If they do, I'll be there." Kate said, failing to stop herself. "Maybe you don't need to be in this fight. Give yourself a little time."

She regretted the words as Sophie's eyes turned cold.

"It's my job to protect people, Kate, I won't let myself sit in a bedroom alone with nothing but that _Witch's_ face haunting me. Here I can work, I can fight."

Pressing her on this would lead nowhere either of them should go. The tension was too thick to overlook though. Kate at least considered an alternative.

"Mind escorting a civilian out of her Dad's office, Sargent Moore?"

Sophie remembered how to laugh in that moment. It had been a joke between them that she was so dedicated that their Drill Sergeant would probably have saluted her if she stepped it up a notch. While that time was stained by Kate's discharge, the reason why they still continued to fight kept strong.

"Right this way, Miss Kane." Sophie's charming jab at how Kate was apparently some type of rich heiress, one of the few who wore tattoos that fit punk rockers without looking like a trust-fund jackass.

The two walked through the fortified entryway in silence. Kate could feel the way Sophie dragged herself forward quietly but the weight didn't make cause the woman to drag her feet. Once outside, free of the security and their indifferently direct glances at the two women with who knows how much gossip encircling them, they could speak somewhat freely. Kate could see the invisible tugging for Sophie to return. Her former lover may have been able to ignore them, but they existed and reminded Kate why she would have had problems even in a more accepting army.

"Is it hard, being two women at once?" The closest Sophie dared to expressing… their little secret. But the question did itch at Kate's mind.

"I'm me, no matter what I'm doing, Soph, don't worry about that."

Again, what may have sounded like the right answer but was Kate lying to herself, like Sophie? The woman trying to be a Real Estate Agent or the Costumed Vigilante, who the Hell was Kate Kane in the end? How could a woman balance or even just be a single person? Sophie made no attempt to correct her, the vulnerability practically blasted on a billboard.

"Stay safe, Kane."

"You too, Soph."

They didn't hug, not with so many cameras on them. Only nodded before going back to their lines on the battlefield. Kate liked to think it was the same line, but her Father's aura expressed how she couldn't keep that lie going forever.

Bruce couldn't, she reminded herself. And without meaning to, her mind flashed back to an earlier time. Back when Gotham felt a bit more stable. Remembering the night it all fell to Hell.


	8. Chapter 8

Early in his career, a crusade as much as a way of life, Bruce Wayne did everything to keep his activities secret. Wayne Manor was home to a cave system, possibly the most expansive, uncharted, of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. He had been the Bat for a year when it must have happened.

After one night, everyone noticed that he gave the Joker a more vicious amount of focus.

Kate had been away in the Academy, and then the Big Break happened. Exiled with no direction, she managed to find herself meandering towards Gotham. That led to deciding to train, on her Father's behalf, to find a means of protecting others that wouldn't compromise her character. After seven years of training, she returned home. There was talk of Oliver Queen returning from the dead as her plane touched the tarmac. It seemed like some people were having all the luck. No one was there to pick her up, no worthy greeting for flunked out recruits too proud to keep quiet about their sexuality. Not wishing to deal with Katherine or her Father, Kate found herself asking a taxi to go somewhere no one bothered to go without permission. She remembered pressing the button for Alfred.

It went to voicemail.

She told the driver to move faster.

The gate was open ajar.

Kate shoved cash at the driver, probably the only amount she managed to scrounge together, and bolted up the driveway. What would have been twenty minutes with quick jogging became three, Kate's pack did not matter. Blood splattered the open door.

"ALFRED! BRUCE!"

She hated the mansion, how hollow everything inside sounded. Nothing moving except the drip of blood. It was too much, the training told her, not seeing an end to them. The splatter implied a knife. Kate no longer saw Wayne Manor, she was 9 years old, in underground warehouse, hearing the cries of her mother and sister murdered by extremists. The violence had just left but it poisoned the air.

Kate started to hear the crying moments later.

She followed, cautiously, coming upon the room where a piano resided. The strange clock had peeled away from the wall to reveal an opening that shouldn't have existed. It led to impossible stairs going down them exposed what felt like descending into Hell. Reaching the bottom, Kate witnessed little to challenge that idea.

Bathed in the fractured light of broken monitors, she found them. It was at that moment that Kate realized she had never seen her cousin cry at his parent's funeral. His face was stained with tears now. The mask was off, his suit looked different drenched in blood. Cradled in Bruce's arms, Alfred Pennyworth's body hung limply, bruised, broken, and with multiple stab wounds. The shock of realizing her inspiration had been kin paled compared to cruel death in the family. She couldn't tell if he even knew anyone had entered the cave. All he could do was mutter two words.

 _The Card_

Kate couldn't bring herself to hold her cousin at that moment. The soldier inside wanted answers. Se noticed a smaller trail of blood that lead to the desk nearby. She leaned over and inspected the disturbing sight.

A playing card painted in blood.

A Joker.

Comforting her cousin, stomaching the urge to vomit enough to move Alfred's body, she was told Bruce's coldest secret. That first year at being Batman had attracted all kinds of devils he would fight over the years, but the Joker had always been the worst. She learned why. One night after patrol, Bruce found that card in the cave. Not placed there by Alfred or any other person. Nothing had been damaged or stolen but the breach haunted him. The security for the cave was external, if someone could get inside… inspect the upstairs…

"I went to him, once," Bruce said. "As Bruce Wayne, visiting Arkham. I showed him the card. He just looked at me, no condemnation, just indifference. I think… he never cared about who wore the mask, just that we fought. This… this was because Joker said things were _getting boring_."

Bruce's face turned blank. Kate recognized his eyes though. Her Father had them, when Mom and Beth were killed. What it demanded of people who had that capability. Bruce placed on hand on Alfred, for an eternity of a minute. Standing up, he marched towards the mask.

Kate stepped between them. The concept of standing up to Batman never crossed her mind. She was just trying to keep her cousin from doing something horrible. Recognizing the Bat became easier when Kate managed to duck his fist.

Seven years of hellish training, surviving the most grueling cruelties to be prepared for anything on this Earth. Experience helped her process after blocking one kick that lifted Kate a foot off the floor that Bruce's training had been… equally significant.

He pushed forward as she staggered, accepting that his cousin had become an obstacle that could interfere. Keeping focused on the idea of recognizing Bruce, not Batman, did nothing to give her an edge. Even when she bothered to strike, daring to possible cripple if necessary, couldn't ignore that hitting reinforced combat armor only bruised her knuckles. He stopped moving forward, eyes softened while looking at Kate. Her hands ached, burning herself out while Bruce hadn't even grunted in their sparring. She wanted to believe Bruce had calmed down, but wasn't taking any chances. Shooting forward, Kate decided to go for a haymaker, rip the damn costume off her cousin.

The greatest thing she regretted about that night was failing to appreciate why Bruce was actually reluctant, he had decided to stop hurting his cousin.

And she had played into his plan.

Bruce caught the punch, but didn't stop. He spun her around, pinning Kate with one arm. She tried prying herself loose, metal statues had more give. Peripheral vision helped see the other arm too late, the syringe poised.

"Bruce, please, do—"

He must have had readings to judge how much was needed. Everything turned in an abrupt wave. She was able to spin around, clawing weakly the symbol once idolized on his chest, pleading even the words became too numb to utter. He helped guide Kate to the floor, it should have felt kind. All she could think was that the Bat was stealing away another bit of her dwindling family.

Kate Kane woke in one of the guest bedrooms. Still wearing the clothes from last night, Alfred's dried blood staining her shirt and shoes. Sunlight streamed into the room. She had the whole morning. There messages on her phone, most wondering if her flight came in, and then later ones demanding she call IMMEDIATELY.

By the time she pulled up the news feed, before it was shut down to keep Gotham's devils a secret from spreading to other cities, all of Gotham had heard it before her.

It was over.

Joker dead.

Batman had lost.


	9. Chapter 9

Kate's mind released her in front of a cemetery in Gotham Central, fingers curled around the gate. She had traveled two miles without anyone bothering her. She counted whatever luck hadn't been cashed out on being in one piece, daytime and nighttime were equally hazardous in Gotham. A quick glance of her surroundings also assured some thanks was owed to the Crow convoy parked on the opposite side of the street.

 _Your tail actually did me a favor, Colonel, shame I don't want them seeing where I hang my cape._

She took a moment before getting constructive with evasive maneuvers to pay closer attention to which cemetery she'd been delivered to subconsciously. Vines and unkept grass gave away the spot before looking up at the name shown on its rusting-metal archway.

ARKHAM GROVE

The world turned colder for a reason beyond Winter. Wrenching free of the unloved gate, Kate hurried away, thinking about which buildings had rooftops perfect for unsupervised runs. Dry laughter followed Kate, not releasing her she had entered Wayne Tower.

Getting up to… what should damn well be _Her_ office, Kate was greeted by the last honest man in Wayne Industries.

"Kate, you know protocol demands hitting a safehouse and scanning for racking devices _before_ coming here." Luke Fox was dressed in a sweater with slacks, adjusting his glasses while waving some new gizmo Kate hoped wasn't causing cancer.

"No need to track when they've been hounding this place for months, the Crows know where I sleep, Luke."

There have been several drones that floated around Wayne Tower in the past few months. Her Cousin's impeccable precautions had made sure the building was filled with scramblers that prevented photography or deeper scans of the building. A slew of board members seeking refuge for affairs and other dirty activities complained very little about that engineering decision. Degraded inside and out, the building's 'bones' could ensure it outlasted anything.

"Any luck pinpointing Steven Rolio?" Kate asked when she could see again.

Luke lowered the scanner, either finished or fed up. Either way, his eyes promised a lecture.

"The more you let your Father in, someone will get wise, if they haven't already. If they confirm Batwoman's toys are supplied by Wayne Industries, the government steps in and those designs, _My Father's_ , become black market delights and nightmares for the world.

Before this deteriorated further, Kate leaned in and whispered a quiet phrase, disjointed just in case. Pulling back, Luke's face looked drained.

"How do you know… that code?"

"I picked the cave dry, Luke. I know Bruce's safety measures by heart, even if I'm drunk."

"But access is DNA coded."

 _That_ part made her anxious about how Bruce had used that time she was sedated.

 _He was gone a month later, just an untraceable letter demanding I burn everything._

Becoming Batwoman had been a thorn in many people's plans, but Kate once held out hope Bruce would break from exile to reprimand her. No luck, not a late-night warning he was infamous for. Bruce Wayne had abandoned everything, possibly to deprive himself temptation. But Kate saw the potential.

Granted, it took Sophie being abducted and getting her ass kicked by Alice to consider alternatives. Luke had greeted her with a stun gun the first time they met. Kate remembered his panicked expression when she used the elevator that shot down to Bruce's second Batcave. It was there she found the damn suit that sabotaged her efforts to rescue Bruce. With Luke's semi-reluctant assistance, possibly eagerness to do some good himself, she brought the fight to Alice and then some. After four months, the two may not always meet eye-to-eye on Batman's legacy, but the work kept them grounded.

"Yeah," Luke said with a sigh after all reason to argue became too illogical to bother. "He's a slippery bastard, but your Father's new headquarters for the Crows is the perfect target for maximum shock and terror. They'll probably put a on a show, endangering everyone so Batwoman comes out."

"Well, we sure aren't going to disappoint them then," Kate said, grinning. "You made a list of what these creeps had access to with limited budgets and whatever petty larceny could supply." She knew how to make Luke become pleased with himself. His posture already straightened up just from a chance to show off.

"My best guess," _Better or equal to any concocted at STAR Labs_ , Kate thought in terms of Luke's intellect. "That explosion at the factory was their attempt to either kill you or think they were more than capable. We haven't seen what they're like if push comes to shove."

"So they might be lightweights, afraid to get their asses kicked by a woman." Kate never got tired of that.

"might be," Luke stressed. "No member looks like they're as used to brutality as their leader. That video… those monsters were swinging too wildly. They weren't used to actually harming people. That's why it was…"

Sloppy, Kate concluded without daring to give such terms a voice in slaughter. She stepped forward, placing her hand on Luke's shoulder. That calmed him, she considered pointing out how even the Crows were weak-stomached, but stopped herself. It wasn't Luke's vulnerability he fought, it was the illusion tat Bruce Wayne wasn't weak. She wanted to tell him, especially when his headstrong loyalty to Bruce treated him like a god, how the man was vulnerable as any other soul who fought these insane battles. But she could see he still wasn't ready for every truth, not yet.

"We'll get them, Luke," Kate assured him. "They will regret using that monster's face."

The head of R&D nodded, eyes growing hard behind his glasses. _You're already stronger than Bruce,_ Kate wanted to say, _you stayed._

"Let's go make a plan, my friend," Kate said as they walked over to the elevator. "Help me find that one little gap in the Crow's defenses where I can slip right inside and make them all look like dumbasses."

There were few things thankfully more infectious than Luke Fox's laughter. Especially in a world where too damn many who forgot what it meant to be actually funny.


	10. Chapter 10

The first time Kate wore the suit it felt too tight. Luke had, tastefully, readjusted the structure to fit hers, but it still squeezed. It was as if Bruce's will challenged any who dared wear his mantle.

Leaving the cave had been the first trial, trusting she wouldn't be spotted by relying on Luke's guidance. Battle, where any misstep would get her and Sophie killed had been the next test. Trusting tech she had passing knowledge of after some quick practice required one Hellish learning curve when applied to masked maniacs. Kate built herself up through months of experience, training in the cave to better prepare for Gotham.

There were many nights Kate wished she could have talked with Bruce, about the price, the loss of self, and if the man or Bat was the real person. Becoming a vigilante was guaranteed after he helped her up in that alley, embracing his symbol as hers became an excuse since it had power in Gotham. But was she actually succeeding at protecting the city? Would a Crow serve the people better than a Bat?

Some days, she doubted. But when night arrived, she would see the signal and move forward. Personal dramas be damned. There was work to do.

Kate wondered if her cousin ever lit the Bat Signal like she just did.

"Well, this is a rare thing," Jim Gordon walked over to Batwoman, eyeing the symbol scorched into the sky. "Me being called. You know, this actually costs more than my car to be on for more than an hour. But I so appreciate it, the promise of hope."

"So do I," Batwoman agreed, a bit of Kate slipped into the words but she caught herself. "Did the Crows debrief you?"

"Yes indeed," Gordon unveiled a more detailed file than before. "That Colonel Kane delivered, nice of him to be openly generous before staking another flag in Gotham."

Commissioner Gordon managed to make his mannerisms match a hard-boiled detective in tone, but Kate could see how bothered he was to serve in occupied territory.

"The Crows are forcibly requesting their people being charge of security at the event. Guess it would be embarrassing to expect police to protect and serve a 'private security' firm." He paused, as if expecting Batwoman to respond. When she didn't, couldn't, he shrugged.

"I'm going to be there."

"Of course you will," Gordon said. "And we'll be there too. Naturally, we can't interfere with their security but traffic might get a bit tight for about… five city blocks. Parking will be a nightmare, best stick to the rooftops."

She couldn't help smiling, just for a moment. Gordon allowed the lapse from grim without prying before they both became serious.

"Good luck." Gordon said.

Batwoman nodded. She turned and flew off through Gotham. She zipped between buildings, running along rooftops in a steady stride. Batwoman was a symbol, so Kate enjoyed showing her off a bit but tonight the mission came first.

The police flashers bathed the streets below in red-blue warnings. These Sons of the Joker wouldn't be able to slip in or out without being detected. The checkpoints probably meant a few bankrollers for the Crows would be missing appetizers, but Kate had no love-loss over cuisine. All those living in Lower Gotham, trapped with nowhere to go, they would have Batwoman's protection.

An old warehouse owned by Gotham's crime families in the past had been remade into a small fortress. Ports for drones to fly out as well as entrances for vehicles created a massive panic room and personal transport for Gotham's wealthiest. Kate's step-mother's support yet refusal to rely on services catered to insecurities of elitism was another thing she appreciated about Katherine.

The nearby cathedral gave Batwoman a perfect vantage point. She could see the bright red carpet and decorative ribbon radiated in spotlights. An assortment of Crow jeeps were planted at each corner of the building with armed patrols. Mostly decoration, in theory they were facing six extremists, and Kate knew her father would hold their own against such odds.

Kate contemplated what the video and explosion expressed about the enemy. They definitely weren't Joker. The images of his final act were burned into her mind. Working through the emotions, she tried to understand the mechanics of their actions. Facing their carnage and looking at each detail, Kate concluded she was fighting children.

These were rude little boys who thought being cruel was 'embracing the reality of society', especially when directed at women. They wanted attention in the worst way with no accountability. These punks wanted to be loud.

"Fox," Batwoman said into her intercom. "Do you copy?"

 _"Hearing you, Bats."_ Having a voice in her head seemed likely for Kate several times in her life, but this was a nice substitute.

"Are you detecting anything odd in the area?"

 _"Not yet, I got eyes all over. Mine and your Dad's. So far, nothing."_

Kate had planted a backdoor program on one of her visits to the Crow headquarters. Never hurt to know where Crow patrols would be more focused while being an unlawful vigilante.

Cold wind bit at Batwoman's face while perfumed air fluttered by her nose with the deep chemical aroma of bittersweet roses. Instinct screamed something was coming, especially with the attendees packed together. An additional buzz of noise entered Batwoman's audio.

"Fox, how many Crow drones are active?"

 _"Let me check. Alright, I'm reading six circling the South HQ."_

Batwoman counted eight.

One shot by her on the right, other the streaked across South HQ's roof. They were sleek, toyed together to move at insane speed. What caught Batwoman's attention were the parcels attached below. Anything could be a weapon when dropped high enough, worse if acidic or explosive.

They would be over the crowd in less than a minute. With no time to warn anyone, Batwoman leapt forward. Weeks of testing her utility belt, blindfolded, learning how to access every pocket quickly had been a necessity that paid off at times like this.

Three gadgets.

Three moves.

 _ **One**_

Batwoman launched a batarang, they cleaved air wickedly well, easy hitting any target with vicious force. Luckily her target could be seen from Mars. It struck the ribbon and burst. The crowd panicked and dispersed from the strike zone. For once, Kate spoiled her Father's even instead of Katherine's.

 _ **Two**_

The second throw would be trickier. Trusting Luke's tech, she impaled the drone's side with a thin metal spike. The device sent out a smaller spiked cable into the second drone, dragging then together.

 _ **Three**_

Land on the tiled roof, Batwoman connected two pieces together into an egg-like cylinder. It immediately started to chill through her gloved hand. Activating its magnetic charge, she threw it. The egg started to sink before swinging up and colliding with the two drones. Ice encased both machines along with their potentially lethal parcels. They clunked to the street below in a large block of frozen metal. Victor Fries had made a contribution to society in tech more than as a man.

"Fox, tell me you got some kind of signal."

 _"You mean before the drones became ice cubes?"_ She could hear his smile through the intercom.

 _"There's a shipping container by the Docks, eight blocks south, standing right near a pile of them, bright red."_

"Inform the Crows and Gordon, I'll meet them there."

Luke gave her the coordinates, warning her to be careful. Kate appreciated it, zipping away from some significant property damage. Not to mention showing off on the Crow's front yard. Batwoman could deal with that another night, for now everything needed to be settled with Jokers tonight.

The docks were clear of any late-night workers. Street lights dimly illuminated the shipping containers waiting for ships. All except for the lone red one sitting away from the others. Sensors picked up the electricity buzzing through the metal. Nothing deeper could be detected, thermal scans were barred by the thick metal.

 _Guess I'll just knock and say hello_

Batwoman swooped down and landed silently on the container. No sign of trouble, so Kate decided to make some. Scanning closer to get a sense of where people weren't, Batwoman pulled out a fast-acting corrosive and made an entrance. Landing inside, batarang ready, Kate checked the corners quick. The container was mostly empty, except for the nightmare on the other end.

A young man, blubbering as tears stained his clown makeup, was bleeding on the other side. His legs had been shot apart, knife wounds in the shape of a smile, a detonator tied to his hand.

"T-The boss… made us draw straws. I-I won…"

Surrounded by packages, all wired together, the poor maniac dressed the button. All the explosives started beeping, getting louder with every second. No time to disable them, just to enough to ju—

Bullets slashed at her gloves, but Kate pulled back before she could lose a finger. Best guess from the welts screaming to life on the backs of both hands, they only had an angle North, to her back. She needed to punch through.

Pulling out a quick device, Batwoman pressed four smaller detonators into a square, then linked them with an explosive gel. The disturbance would fraction any time before the packages burst. _Run fast, hit the water, possible die before or after you hit it, no pressure._

Activating her own switch, the contained burst was barely blocked by a Luke's safety mechanism in the cowl. She could imagine the other devices shouting larger, feeling left out. Not a moment to spare considering the container being surrounded, _RUN!_

Batwoman sprinted out, as Kate she could have it made in 15 seconds, the suits bulk still tacked on an extra 20 no one needed, especially her. The bullets rang after five steps, not too high a vantage point and the spray implied no sniper rifles. There was a click in her mind before every cell seemed shoved forward as if the skeleton wanted to escape. Kate's feet lost touch with the ground, her wig felt hot, Luke's lecture at least implied she still had a pulse. 

The distance was too long, Kate tumbled and dragged her head across the ground before flying metal slammed into her back. Air left her lungs as water started to take its place despite best efforts. Pulling out a batarang, she impaled the wall, gasping for air as darkness filled the corners of her eyes. Complaints about rushing in too blind or failing to see angles were put aside to simply not… letting…

Kate's grip slipped before the water fully claimed her.


	11. Chapter 11

Unofficially, Gotham called it The Dead Knight

All phones and other recording devices were fried by unseen technological safeguards. Most of Gotham heard the stories, some a bit more extravagant than others. One even involved demons from Hell. No matter the content, the conclusion was agreed upon.

Batman killed the Joker.

Bruce hadn't come back to the Manor or barricaded the cave. She wondered if he wanted someone to see it through his eyes, to understand why the Bat needed to die. The first time she discovered having access to Bruce's network, Kate pulled up the most recent footage.

 _Batman's visual recording of the night_

Out of curtesy or some preplanned program, the footage activated when Batman was in the Batmobile. The caverns that networked through Gotham's underground were impossible to navigate without preregistered coordinates. Kate was given the viewpoint adjacent to the right eye, as if looking over Bruce's shoulder. She watched him change the precoordinated route halfway through. He drove it to a strange opening that arrived on the cliffside just blow the Manor. Bruce pressed several buttons before getting out. A back compartment revealed an actual jetpack. Kate wasn't bothered as he stuffed the cape out of the way of exhausts flames until she heard the beeping of the Batmobile get louder. It erupted like an unholy fireball, flames touched a carefully prepared trail of residue planted inside the cave walls. Soon enough, every entrance to the caves were closed in a chain of explosions.

The jetpack had enough fuel to get Bruce to an aerodynamic level of flight that wouldn't require more than guidance once the city came into view. He moved towards the main station of the GCPD, the jetpack imploding after he landed. _Clipped his wings, so he couldn't fly away._

Batman stormed down into the headquarters below. Cops stood and stared with confusion and absolute shock. Even Jim Gordon was stunned to see the Dark Knight walk right inside his office, no tricks of misdirection.

"Batman, wh—"

"I'm here for Joker, Jim," Batman said. "I'm not leaving until he's gone."

"B-Batman," Gordon looked like he wanted to say more but then the cop took over, looking down at the blood Bruce clearly hadn't washed away. "We have an Agreement. No one, not even you, can honestly expect to storm into the Police Commissioner's office, promising murder, and get to leave."

Every cop in the precinct found their nerve. Kate could see weapons being drawn, could imagine the defensive positions being taken. They would shoot into Gordon's office, not directly, but the Commissioner must have had no fear since he never flinched. Then again, he knew more than his life was on the line.

"We've worked together for years," Gordon said. "I've put faith in the man you are beneath that mask. I called you a friend, though if I met you on the street, you'd be a stranger. I did this, because I knew we needed someone who could fight that unseen opponent that tears through our blind spots. I also knew, one night, you may reach your limit. I don't need to know whose blood that is to see a man out for revenge."

"You didn't need to come here. I've seen you in action, that kind of skill takes training, more than any of us could match on our own. If you pushed it, Gotham could imagine not even needing cops when compared to 'Batman'. But you never did, because you wanted, _needed_ , us to be there when the storm calmed. When you weren't needed."

"Coming in here, some part of you is begging me reach out and stop this, so let me."

Bruce was quiet, Kate and clearly Gordon had no way of reading what that meant. She could see the Commissioner's fingers twitch too abruptly, he was calling the officer's to be ready. His time in the military served him well, Gordon could see his error before Kate did.

"You're right," Batman said. "I didn't need to come here. I couldn't stop myself."

His breathing gave it away; not fragile at all.

She heard Batman's resolve.

"The Joker went to ground, but he wants me to find him. I needed to use your servers. My systems hacked yours the moment I touched the roof."

Gordon realized why he'd reveal this.

"I found him."

Batman reached into his belt and pressed a switch. The whole world turned black. Cops cursed breaking into the room but Bruce was already moving. Gordon's instinct helped send a punch her cousin barely dodged. Crashing through the window. Batman scaled up the fire escape, several bullets followed before Gordon shouted for them to stop. By the time he reached the roof, several officers sent down suppressing fire using specialized tazers. His grapple gun shot past their formation with ease. Batman was already several blocks out of range by the time they repositioned. Even Gordon's shouting became hollow.

Gotham through her Cousin's eyes came in a blur. She took her time most nights, gliding and jogging. Bruce… he moved like a shadow, no single moment of lethargy, knowing every street purely by feel, no need to look down, ever. Kate couldn't stop herself from watching with clear revelation how large the gap between the two Bats truly was. No matter how much she tried, Bruce was still the greater Bat.

But that had been the thing that damned him.

His level-headed movement made it only possible to understand that he had cross thirty blocks into South Gotham in 2 minutes when Batman finally bothered to look down. Experience told her he had flipped and dived head first towards the street. The grime glistened in the moonlight and Kate flinched. A sudden gust from the cape expanding and Bruce arrested his descent at fifteen feet, landing without a grunt. She felt whiplash just from the video.

Bruce felt taller as he stood. Kate couldn't help but notice Batman seemed to grow three more feet, but remembered the night she saw him. It was at this moment, with dread and morbid fascination, that Kate realized she would witness what most saw only wreckage of; the Batman in action.

A nearby board-up building abruptly rained bullets down at the Dark Knight. Bruce unleashed a chain of smoke pellets. Darkness consumed the alleyway, the shooters fired randomly while the Bat simply kept moving forward, special lenses for the cowl and camera illuminated Bruce being beside the first-floor window. He punched through the barricade, dragging out the shooter, the poor bit of scum barely screamed before two bone-crunching moves made it difficult to know if he'd ever move properly again. Leaving the moaning soul dangling from the window, the others rushed, never having a prayer. A concussion blast left them all deaf, the Bat reduced them to shattered bones and blood. Kate had seen the papers, the criminals were usually brought in battered but Never to this level of damage. Most probably would barely survive until morning with such injuries.

But they weren't the big kill.

He waited at the top of the building, back to the door. A purple suit stained in blood, hunched over while giggling like an unholy demon. The door creaked open, an arm twisted about and shot right where a head would be.

 **Dead yet? Please don't be** _ **Boring**_ **and die too quick**

The laughter, even digitally filtered, made Kate shiver. No human could or should sound so satisfied at causing agony. Joker stood, adjusting his bowtie, dead-pale skin and crooked yellow-rot smile silhouetted under dyed green locks. Blood-shot crimson eyes expressed the demon's deeper rage and contempt.

 **Come in Bruce**

Kate's heart stopped, it really was true.

 **You know, I would've called you Brucie, Bruce, Bruce WAY sooner if it didn't sound so…** _ **boring**_

Batman was motionless.

 **I mean, what was I hoping for, following you back to your cave? A wife, some little baby bats to drown? Imagine how silly it was, for me to simply kill some butler. Oh, THE HORROR, who'll fetch the good wine at parties Now!?**

Whether the words or the horrible laughter were the breaking point, it didn't matter in the end.

The Batman charged.

Something thin clangs into the reinforced cowl. Bruce staggers, Kate has a better view of the offending item. Remembering the stories circulated in Gotham circles made her stomach sink.

It was a crowbar.

 **Ah, the memories**

The feed jolts, twice, the strikes not on camera were probably severe.

 **Jason didn't have SO. MUCH. ARMOR.**

Striking him with every syllable, the name buzzed within Kate's mind, something about a protégé who Bruce had taken on. There had been talk of another Robin…

A quick sweep of the leg knocked Joker down. The demon tried to swing again but Bruce swatted the horrific tool away. Then gun came up, aiming for Bruce's chin. A gloved hand redirected a headshot, barley.

 **And This was how I spoiled your Batgirl**

 **All these toys you carry Bruce, but I honestly just keep the old favorites**

Leaning in, the Demon's acidic flower almost pressed into the camera, but Kate heard the most horrible thing possible.

 **Would you like to see what I used on the Butler?**

There was a crunch of bones.

Joker stumbled back, a cracked but disturbingly solid smile. The demon was stringy in all the wrong ways, nothing done to him seemed enough to stop his madness. Worse of all, Joker laughed loudest at how clearly even in rage, Bruce pulled his punches.

 **Ah, come on, Bruce**

Joker's spat out several chips of teeth.

 **Haven't gotten to the punchline yet**

A snake-like limb slithered into his coat. Bruce braced for anything. Joker drew the weapon.

It destroyed Bruce.

The Joker held a batarang, an older model, stained in blood on one point.

 **The first rose you tossed me, when we met**

 **I made sure the first stab happened, WHEN I THREW IT IN HIS THRO-**

No noise.

No screaming.

Just two gloved hands twisting a neck until it snapped.

Bruce stood and turned. Kate's heart started beating when she heard Joker's wheezed gasps for air. Paralysis, a Doctor's precision, and no more demon. A line broken but she could hear Bruce dialing for Gordon.

 **A *wheeze* Bell**

Bruce stopped dialing.

 **The cave door**

 **In the study**

 **Sat in… a chair**

 **Rang a bell**

 **The kind… you call a Butler with**

 **Sound familiar**

 **Called me "Master Br-ACK"**

 **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

The laughter boomed, by all sense of logic or reason, the damn noise wouldn't stop.

"Bruce, no," Kate said, tears in her eyes. The video blurred.

"BRUCE NO!"

Her cousin ripped the batarang out of Joker's clenched hand, slicing off several fingers. The laughter never stopped. Even when Joker was turned so he looked Bruce right in the eye. He only laughed louder as the batarang struck.

Again, again, and again

Kate stopped counting before throwing up.

The video shut down, but word on the street filled everything else. Batman had delievered Joker's body to the stoop of GCPD Headquarters. He left as the sun rose, almost like the sun burned him away.

That was the last night Batman was in Gotham City.

Bruce Wayne officially left a few days later, though noone really saw him. Not even Kate.

She helped destroy the entrance to the cave, so Bruce's secret could be preserved. Doing right by her cousin, she memorized everything of value, never intending for it to fall into the wrong hands. Never once did it cross Kate Kane's mind to think the one who dared to claim that symbol would be herself.

Now she just needed to make sure it counted.

Time to wake up.


	12. Chapter 12

Kate Kane saw the light. It was handheld one burning down into retinas. She twitched and the tool was replaced by young, annoyed, expression of Mary Hamilton-Kane.

"Hello, idiot sister."

"…Hey, Mary…"

Everything still hurt, perfect to tell ones alive. Kate worked her way inside to out. Internally, she seemed to require wrapped around her… everything. A few more precise pains helped the vigilante recognize where Mary's bandages were doing the most work.

"Two fractured ribs, abrasion on the right side of your head, bruised knuckles, and your nose."

"W-What happened to m-OW!"

Mary flicked it.

"You are beyond lucky that lousy outfit takes most of the hit. You're also lucky having someone willing to go swimming."

Her words helped Kate appreciate being inside her step-sister's secret clinic. One of Gotham's biggest socialites moonlights as a unlicensed doctor for those who couldn't afford to rely on the benefits too many took for granted. Considering Gotham's track record for medical care practitioners, Mary Hamilton-Kane might be one of the first decent doctors the city knew in decades. It took embarrassingly longer than Kate was willing to admit for her to be as willing at sharing secrets, but the connection proved effective.

Having worthwhile comrades also helped.

"You know, this spoiled all those little fantasies I've had about stripping Batwoman. Having to check for internal trauma kind of spoiled the role play."

"Ok, I _really_ didn't need to be in the room for that comment."

Sophie Moore shook off Luke Fox's insecurities as she laid a reassuring hand on Kate's shoulder. Taking it, the Luke explained, looking the other way for privacy, that Sophie had been given a secondary tracker, just in case. Being one of the top swimmers at the Academy helped with pulling some a drowning superhero to safety.

"And imagine my need to awkwardly make sure everyone went home because my sister decided to having fun around bombs." Mary sighed, "Can't have a billionaire real-estate owner be seen wearing a Bat after all. By the way, _this_ kind of phone call has become one of my top three nightmares, up there with being accused of being the new Miley Cyrus so let _that_ sink in."

Kate couldn't help chuckling, which helped identify which ribs were wanting to snap and leave her body. Placing more ice down helped, laying back helped make it easier to breathe. The three didn't say much after that, mostly doing everything with personal talents to give Kate what she needed. Mary kept her body in point, Luke made sure the suit would be ready, and Sophie... Sophie, the one who got away yet never too far from sight, it was… good to have friends.

When it became easier to lie about how well she felt, Kate lifted her upper body so she didn't get reassurance looking up nostrils.

"Luke, how long was I out?"

"Kate," Luke said. "The Sons of Joker laid a trap, blasted that location all over social me-"

"How. Long?"

Luke adjusted his glasses, that bad.

"Two days," Mary said. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I honestly thought we should have gotten you to a real hospital, I was freaking out, thought my pride was going to get you killed. Some superhero doc I am..."

"The… Sons of Joker have been bragging that they killed you. Your father damn near tore every office apart in Wayne Tower, and my arm, demanding to find you." Kate noticed the sling Luke managed to hide pretty well.

"Had to ditch at least five trackers to get over here, bringing Mary her supplies because holy hell did you need half a pharmacy to keep together, Kane." She smiled just as painfully when trying to sell their breakup, Kate left the Academy but Sophie chose to stay while Jacob Kane ensured she'd have a future.

These three were all the reason Kate needed to make this count.

Nodding, telling any flareup of pain to burn in Hell, she planted two pale feet. Feeling confident enough to not fall or forever be unworthy of the Bat, Kate Kane rose. Gritting her teeth, the waves of pain pulsed with less intensity every second. Mary gasped, Luke averted his eyes through the panic of Kate being in her underwear, and Sophie's expression definitely gave the vigilante a boost in morale. She wished to tell them how important they were, how Bruce Wayne failed because doing the work alone to protect others only made him weaker. Gotham stood because they always would, together.

She managed three words.

"Get. My. Suit."


	13. Chapter 13

Kate suited up for work.

"They've been broadcasting from the abandoned train tunnels in Mid-Gotham, usually maze even Nigma would quit from solving. I found them yesterday, it's a little clustered with barricades, and possible traps, but I'll guide you through."

Every inch of the suit was doublechecked for tears. Battered muscles twitched with pain but every cell in Kate's body embraced the suit promise of what needed to be done.

"Alright, here a few things that should stop any overzealous bleeding and help you power through doing all those stupid hero things." Mary sighed as Kate simply swallowed them. "Okay, well, just make sure that you at least make sure to hop back here, no lugging keys to the city or making out with supermodels, okay?" She gave Sophie a meek look, but the Crow operative didn't seem to mind.

Luke and Mary helped Kate into the suit. She didn't protest at assistance, reassuring them all when clipping on the cape didn't make her pass out. Only one part remained, held in Sophie's hands.

"You actually look good in a wig." Sophie walked over, mask ready to complete Kate's uniform. "Didn't think you'd have a thing for masks."

"Me neither," Kate said with a grin. "All the possibilities, eh?"

Sophie gave her a small smile in return, to say feelings between them would always be a tad complicated was the biggest understatement in existence. Batwoman was the crazy glue that stuck them back together, but even now, the adhesive melted away by truth, they didn't stray too far. There were nights Kate wished things were quiet enough to get a better chance to look into why that was, but was… glad to have some kind of answer when her hands graced Sophie's before embracing the mask.

The first she placed it on her head had all the charm of putting on a glove one size smaller than toddler. All potential dreams of being a scuba diver for sunken treasure or dominatrix were slashed off her careers list considering how damn tight the boots alone were. After rescuing Sophie, Kate had actually waited twenty minutes, fearing what little hair graced her scalp had been yanked off by pressure alone. Oh and adding the two extra layers of eyeshadow was _delightful_.

But then she saw her reflection in a mirror. Luke's stunned expression, which matched Sophie's as well as Mary's response, also surprised Kate. Once all the little annoyances were jammed together, what they formed became clear when she faced Alice's agitation laced in fear. It became a promise, the one formed when looking at a symbol shining high in the pouring rain. An answer to the things that harmed all from shadows. The crest blazed red as her birthstone, as the color of passion bursting through her heart.

Despite their difficulties, even Jacob Kane contributed a piece to what forged Kate into the Batwoman. His words echoed while she made the way to her Batcycle.

 **Make no mistake:**

 **You do this**

 **You're going to War**

 **Define the Goal**

 **Define the Objective**

 **Define the Terms of Victory**

 **Because if Victory**

 **Means bringing your Mother and Sister back**

 **You've Already Lost**

 **If Victory means**

 **Taking Revenge for what happened to them**

 **You've Already Lost**

 **But**

 **If the Objective**

 **Is to Save Just One Life**

 **To Protect One Innocent**

 **To Keep One Person**

 **From Having Their Life Shattered In Violence**

 **And To Come Home Alive When You're Done**

 **Then You Can Prevail**

 **And God Help Whatever Poor Bastard Tries To Stand in Your Way**


	14. Chapter 14

The Sons of Joker's arrogance oozed from every shadow in the abandoned subway tunnels. They splashed drinks, lit fires, and bragged about all the places they planned to bomb. Their leader carved poor caricatures of Batwoman on the wall, horribly posed in sexually provocative stances, shooting each one.

"I was going to be an artist," The Leader muttered, annoyed at how he missed his decadent drawings. "But some slut ruined me because she couldn't keep her Mouth Shut. Should have been grateful I gave her attention. We live in a society alright, so Let It Burn."

His underlings were quiet, making the new fuses and setting up other bomb parts, no one dared to speak up when he got in his moods. That's what led to Ryan getting the shortest straw and being shoved into a cargo unit. He could on would go on for hours, but better the wall than them. A few members of the gang wouldn't dare admit how… it wasn't as fun as Ste-Leader made it out to be. So much blood, screaming, but no one really bothered to explain where this led.

"We'll take out schools, hospitals, police stations," Leader muttered. "Our God would want us to serve him w-"

 **Your God was a washed-up Comedian who never did anything inventive outside of bleaching his skin in chemicals**

Leader and the other Sons of Joker froze up. The shadows deepened, no one could see in front of their noses. A ghost had come to visit.

"You sound like every girl who I deserved," Leader muttered, eyes flicking at each shadowy for a hint of something to shoot. "To entitled to appreciate greatness." He felt rage boiling up as laughter boomed around them.

 **You think putting on clown makeup and hurting people makes you superior**

"You think wearing a symbol made for a Man makes you!?"

Something swirled in the dark. A batarang impaled one of the cannisters and ignited the chemicals. The Sons of Joker had just enough time to run before the whole world erupted. Leader had escaped most of it, being the first to flee when he heard a noise.

 **You want to talk symbols**

A thin fire shot out, wrapping around one of the thugs legs before he could fully get up. He yelped being yanked into the shadows, through the quickly dying flames as smoke seeped in and smothered the light. His screaming stopped like it never existed.

 **That murderers face you adorn would kill you if he were around, because his whole world revolved around the arrogance of assuming only he gets his jokes**

There was a hint of a cape before two more were quickly dragged into darkness. Only two remained, armed and yet Leader's hand was trembling. Any urge to mock or belittle felt hollow, even his need to feel stronger than any woman meant nothing at that moment. This shadow had become more than flesh.

 **I didn't choose this symbol for myself, it's not meant for me**

Lights burst from luminescent batarangs planted around a small perimeter. The Leader noticed a shade behind his remaining minion, before limbs wrapped around his lackey's face and torso, adding him to oblivion like the rest. Instead of warning, the main scum tried to shoot at what he assumed was a head. It felt good to think he hurt a woman. The feeling soured when the voice boomed for one last time.

 **It's a promise, mine to Gotham; to protect those alone in the dark and to punish the devils too afraid of the light**

"You're not fighting a symbol." The voice was right behind him. "You're fighting Me."

He pulled out a knife and went to stab low. The woman slapped it out of his hand. He whimpered, aiming his gun. She gripped the barrel, yanking it from his petty grip, slapped him in the face with the weapon, and proceeded to break it front of him. Batwoman stood tall, her red blazing with fury matched only by her white eyes and scarlet crest. She marched forward as the Leader staggered back, muttering how she was a coward not able to take on a Man in fair fight.

The Bat stopped, her expression unreadable. She quietly unclipped her cape, it slid off and clunked on the ground from added weight. The Leader wanted to mock her shorter height or thinner build, but the sneer was halted when she kicked over the knife.

"That video showed me a worm who never wanted a fair fight. With a knife, you could at least keep up a moment longer. Unless you need more, to take on a Woman, Stevie?"

All momentary arrogance was lost in the rage of being called his grade-school-nick-name that had haunted him all the way through high school. Feeling powerless, being told he had everything, nothing to complain about, yet always felt so empty. At least he could make sure others could have even less, gripping the knife, Steven Rolio desired to make this Woman truly suffer.

He howled, waving the knife as if that created some greater advantage. Steven aimed for the brightest thing in his field of vision. The wig. Too blinded by hollow anger that he never considered building something with, the petty Leader never noticed the woman's smirk. He did get a far clearer view of her gloved fist as crunched his nose.

Squealing with pain and confusion, the young fool swung wildly, not caring how carelessly his grip on the knife was until it landed into his foot. Even after going to the gym… like twice, and gym through school, the wormy attacker never really understood pain until this very moment. He never processed that it was the choice to connect with ones humanity, pain and joy from others alike, that created the strength his only ever poisoned from himself.

As tears caked and spoiled his makeup, Steven was finally forced to realize that the woman before him carried a force stronger than mere bat on her chest. It's what made it easy for her to drag him by his injured foot, after ripping out the knife, and only allow his wails of pain to keep him company. When light returned, it was the opening of the tunnel to a whole squad of police cars and reporters, bombarding them with camera flashes. His pathetic state and equally broken crew were all smoothly processed into separate squad, the injured foot tended to while Commissioner Gordon himself read his rights.

The Batwoman had left to leave the police to handle the more official bit, but in his mind she still hovered over him. A single person, but the power she commanded made him shiver. He never felt that power, even when claiming the Joker's face and methods. Just felt even more hollow. She had treated him a proper villain just to educate them all on what being a Dark Knight truly meant.

Everyone learned that Batwoman was here to stay.


	15. Chapter 15

The Sons of Joker were done, that was what was highlighted as the front page news of the Gotham Gazette. Steven Rolio's anguished form being carried by the Batwoman to the police had been the trending image on all of Gotham's social media. Kara Danvers had even written a piece expressing how the last act of Batman did not have to equate to how Batwoman would accomplish her task of protecting Gotham City.

Catherine Hamilton-Kane read the paper while sitting at one of the more moderate locales for brunch in Mid-Gotham. A few people took notice of her elegant attire, gazing loudly without a word at the obvious question of why someone who looked ready for an art gala in Upper-Gotham bothered coming here. She wouldn't explain, but it was because this place had looser dress code than most she dared tread, and expected company.

"Sorry I'm late," Kate said as she walked semi-reluctant ease that only Catherine noticed, charms of marrying a man of action with injuries nothing could hide. "Buses aren't as reliable as a motorcycle sometimes."

Kate allowed the sight of Catherine managing to hold her disgust at using public transportation as a sign that this could be a nice brunch. Motorcycle accidents became an easier trend of excuse to use, at least Kate didn't need to fake most of the pain still lingering. It actually surprised her, how much Catherine's face showed concern.

"I heard that your meeting went well." Catherine said as she finally bothered to order appetizers.

"That's crazy, I just got done chatting with them an hour ago."

"I made it a priority to make sure I knew what they thinking as soon they finished speaking with you."

Kate almost felt she should have been insulted, as if her step-mother assumed failure, but it actually was a relief. Several scars on her face were still closing up (thankfully nothing that could be noticed under the mask), so even wearing a fine suit didn't escape looking like she walked a warzone before arriving. Even sipping water carried a wave of agony tumbling down Kate's upper body.

"How'd I convince them," Kate said with honest perplexity. "I mean, I stumbled over most of the words I wanted to use and even the power point needed to be shared on my cellphone."

"Oh yes, they did have a few notes on your presentation to reconsider in the future."

Kate shrugged, clearly waiting for something short of some miracle that allowed for her real-estate aspirations to be more reality than fiction.

"They liked when you mentioned high school," Catherine said quietly. "How any time you went to the locker room, a pack of bratty girls tried making rumors about you. But those stopped when you managed to thwart the opposing soccer team's efforts at winning goal. I remember they made a trophy of that feat."

'Feet' being the operative word. Kate had usually run point but the rumors made it so she had to settle for a defensive position, which ironically made her an essential reason Gotham High got to keep their undefeated record. She somehow managed to kick a ball bearing down on the goalie with all the charm of a guided missile. The foot-to-ball collision left her in a cast for a week but saved the school's legacy, one her aunt Martha had maintained in her youth.

Bruce had visited her every day, no matter what happened at night.

"They were impressed by a soccer game?"

"They were… moved when you talked about how there didn't seem to be a safe place to practice. That you made the bar, The Hold Up, partially out of spite, and more importantly because Gotham is more than just monsters, crooks, and masked fools. There are people here, lost and alone, you see them, Kate, because you know better than most what it's like to feel pushed away."

The water and appetizers were the only things twisting in her gut at Catherine's words, but Kate endured because it was rare to hear sympathy for those difficult times.

"They're open to idea of making businesses where everyone feels a bit more welcome. Change Gotham's image for the better." The usual vanity expressed by Catherine about appearances actually sounded sincere at that moment.

"Well," Kate said as she raised a glass. "I'm here for Gotham, come what may."

As their drinks clanked together, Kate Kane actually felt like those words were never spoken with greater truth.

They finished their meal, speaking about more topical things, _not_ mentioning anything involving capes. It was a comfortable connection Kate would not mind improving on in the future. Catherine was making arrangements for her and Kate to travel back to their home in upper Gotham, when a thought occurred.

"I actually was interested in coming here _because_ know it's relatively manageable by bus or foot from where you were meeting those investors for the recreation center, so what kept you? Are you really okay?" The very last thing Kate needed was having Catherine creating a security detail to ditch along with her father's. An angled truth was needed.

"I took a walk after the meeting, needing a place to think. I'm better now."

The fact that she could clearly half-explain helped relieve her step-mother's dread.

It probably wouldn't have helped to explain the location.

Kate knew she would be late, but there was no avoiding it. This needed to be done.

After Joker's death, no one could claim the body due to the genetic distortion preventing any next of kin being identified, and nobody dared to come forward if they were. That just left the task of handling the body up to the GCPD. Bruce had recordings of their discussions, some had been… colorful in their suggestion of what to do with the remains. Eventually they agreed on cremation, to remove anything of Joker from the Earth.

But dumping in acid, while fitting, didn't sit will. Mostly because the _last_ thing needed was to somehow create something worse than the Joker since the maniac survived Ace Chemicals and those that did had a habit of being… hard to kill. Burial became the eventual conclusion, but where?

ARKHAM GROVE

The sight of it was no easier to stomach even after several days. Kate made sure no one followed her. Luckily, few dared visit this wretched location. A no-man's land of discarding those the world had long decided to forgot for the better. Mobsters usually buried their problems there, but a select few cops had used the spot, only once. Bruce, being him, had written down the spot.

This lead Kate Kane to stand among fading the tombstones and dried, unkept, grass facing the last resting place of one, Jack Napier.

An alias of the Joker that proved to be the closest true identity he ever bothered with. They didn't even bother spilling the ashes, just placed them in a black box that was gifted to the GCPD by 'unknown sources' buried it in all the dead earth, a toxic by product of Ace Chemicals runoff. The Devil buried in Hell's dumpster.

Gordon may have said some words, he seemed the type, but possibly not. The greatest kindness being to speak nothing of the dead. But Kate did have something to say.

"You really suck," Kate said as she stared coldly at the Earth. "I've had bad days, but none of us need to make more lives miserable. You wanted to prove something so bad you hurt my cousin to do it."

She knelt down pulled out a trowel and stabbed into the soil. Part of her almost thought some demonic clown's rotting hand would grab her wrist. Such a dread faded after shifting the soil a little bit. Nothing to fear, only what is left behind.

"Problem is, you were always going to fail, Joker," Kate said as she dug until she assumed any deeper could demand getting her clothes dirty which would bring deeper questions better off unknown. "So what if Bruce couldn't trust himself to keep doing the work, I'm not my cousin. I can kill, but I choose not to, not because it makes me better but because there's no point unless people's lives on the line, the rest is just vanity."

She paused, looking at the name and almost imagining that nightmarish face.

"I would have killed you."

In another life the act of taking a life as a soldier or member of Crows Security would have more than likely.

"I am not defined by what I prevent myself from doing, I am what I choose to do. To love proudly, to protect even when risking myself, and face this war so Gotham isn't lost in the dark again."

Not being Bruce and neither limited or improved by the choice to be able to kill if it comes to that was something Kate had no interest in sharing with the ghosts of demons. All that mattered was letting go of more troubled memories.

Kate carefully revealed a batarang, one of the originals… stained with blood. She had risked a lot to dare bring it this far from the comfort of the cave, where a single moment of exposure would have meant everything destroyed. All the more reason to dare, because in the end, it wasn't the tool being buried, it was the grim idea of some Clown's delusion that no hero could save Gotham or themselves. Such excuses did Kate Kane no good, so they were placed in the hollow spot of soil and carefully buried. One less ghost to haunt Kate's family.

Luke met her at the Gate, she handed him the trowel. For once he didn't look ready to give a lecture. They looked out at ARKHAM GROVE with chilling weight earn by knowledge but did not let it consume them.

"It'll be dark in a few hours," Kate said calmly, looking up at the sky. "I think we'll see the signal clearly."

"Always do," Luke said, adjusting his glasses. "Well, I'll let you go have a nice brunch with your step-mom, see about new locations that could use some worthwhile real estate care."

"You're a good guy, Luke," Kate said while patting him on the shoulder. "Thanks for letting me help with the mission."

He then looked at Kate with surprise and calmness she had rarely seen in him.

"It became your mission when you reminded me that someone's still willing to fight for this city. I'll help you no matter what. It's my honor, Batwoman."

Kate smile widened with a sigh.

"And mine, Fox."

They parted, going in opposite directions of the cemetery, leaving the memory of twisted clowns to rot behind them. No more regrets from the sins of others. The city would need help and when that symbol shined in the sky, Kate Kane would answer.

It was her call to arms.

A soldier's command to serve her city.

And Batwoman would answer.


End file.
